


Basket

by Ghost_droid



Series: Self indulgent Jess stories [1]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Friendship, Lots of books but not talking about them, Other, Teen Angst, gender neutral reader, jess is trying, pretty vanilla romance stuff, you made this fucker food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:57:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11809314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_droid/pseuds/Ghost_droid
Summary: Kinda based on the season 2 episode A-Tisket, A-Tasket but with the reader inserted in the plot.You make a basket hoping Jess will bid on it(Don't judge me)





	Basket

**Author's Note:**

> I've basically been watching Gilmore girls since I was small since it's my mom show, she'll watch it back to back right after finishing it, ended seeing some of her summer run with the introduction of Jess who was always my favorite and decided to make this for the other Jess fans out there.  
> Probably not perfectly accurate because even as many times as I've seen it I can't remember every detail.  
> Enjoy

Jess Mariano x Reader

 

______

You weren't sure why you were doing this.

You'd lived in Stars Hollow your whole life, you'd never been into this whole basket bidding thing or any town tradition for that matter, you thought the bidding was silly, something your older sister would get way over excited about so your mother would focus on her and you could move under the radar and avoid the whole thing.

But this year you actually wanted someone to buy your basket, someone you were too afraid to ask out yourself.

Jess Mariano was the perfect caricature of an angry brooding teen when you first met, he didn't want anything to do with you or this town. He caught your eye immediately, you were always one for a challenge, so you tailed him his whole first week until he begrudgingly accepted you as an ally.

“Better you than some other moron.”

“I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment.”

He laughed at that and it was the beginning of what you considered a good friendship, he was sarcastic and sometimes a little over dramatic, but he'd warmed up to you, you'd roam around town together when you weren't in school. Jess was trouble and everyone in town insisted he was a bad influence, but who ever said you were perfectly innocent? You adapted easily with him, more one for graffiti than shoplifting but he could respect that. He'd swipe you the occasional gift unprompted, bringing snacks to your window sill or even the occasional t-shirt or book, you didn't approve but you still accepted them anyway.

You'd started to develop a crush on him one night, you didn't feel that way very often and never thought it'd be about Jess of all people, but he showed you a different side of himself on a Saturday night when he'd snuck out and you'd drove you two out into the country to set off firecrackers. Once they were all popped and he'd downed two beers he'd taken from his uncles fridge you two laid in the bed of your pickup truck, staring at the empty sky, no stars tonight, just the moon and the clouds.

“Yknow, sometimes I still want to leave Stars Hollow, but it's not as bad as it used to be.”

You snorted

“You literally called it a prison camp last week.”

He was a little buzzed, he laughed and shoved you

“You know what I mean, it's not ideal, but my uncle isn't so bad when he's not trying to be my dad, got some pretty good book stores…”

You smiled at him

“What I say is a town isn't a town without a bookstore, it may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore it knows it's not fooling a soul.”

He grimaced but laughed sitting up and looking down at you

“You know I don't like Neil Gaiman.”

“American Gods is a treasure Jess, sorry it's not old dusty poems about lusting for death.”

“You're entitled to your opinion, but you know how I feel.”

You always liked to slip in a book quote or two, Jess and you had similar tastes but you didn't always agree, he was more for the American classic and small time authors of the modern-day, you just read what you liked, not always searching for the deeper meaning.

“But I mean I'm glad you're feeling more comfortable, even if it's only because of family and a bookstore.”

He stared at you, all humor gone, his dark eyes bore into like he wanted to say something but couldn't quite get it

“I mean that's not the only thing, I got you too.”

You shook your head

“Yeah me and my truck to get you where you need to go.”

He scooted closer to you

“(Y/n) I'm serious, you're more than just a car or some kid I blow off school with, were friends.”

“Didn't know beer made you all emotional.”

He looked hurt and you felt bad, he was trying to share with you and you weren't taking him seriously

“Forget it, didn't mean to get all deep.”

“No no Jess I'm sorry, we're just always joking around..I didn't think you thought of me as more than just a sidekick I guess.”

You weren't lying, people around town said you two were basically attached at the hip, if Jess was somewhere you were likely there with him and vise versa, you two were fast friends but you weren't sure how he really felt under the layers of sarcasm and irony, it was odd to catch a glimpse of Jess being vulnerable. He looked into your eyes and you felt like the vulnerable one, you knew he was attractive every girl in high school swooned over his looks but couldn't get his attitude, but you knew him you didn't see him as some sexy bad boy, but here you were, your heart beat harder and you felt sweat developing.

“Well you kind of are aren't you?”

You glared at him and he gave you a smirk

“If anything you're my sidekick, I'm the one with the car and the knowledge.”

“Ah but I'm the new man, the perfect setup for a protagonist, I'm the outsider people can relate to, you're the local who shows me around.”

“Yknow what we're going back now.”

He scoffed as you jumped out of the bed of your truck

“(Y/n) c'mon! You know I'm kidding.”

“Were out of firecrackers anyway, I'll drive around a bit but then I'm dropping you home.”

He sighed but agreed, he liked to wander at night but you weren't in the mood, your brain and heart felt stupid.

 

You'd brought up the basket bidding to him, he thought it was hilarious up until you told him you'd be making one

“You serious?”

You felt embarrassed, you twos whole thing was making fun of people for doing dumb stuff like this maybe you could play it off

“It's just for fun, put garbage food in a basket and make some sucker buy it? What's not to like.”

He nodded

“I like it I like it, participating for the sake of amusement.”

You headed into Taylor's store, Jess needed glue and your mom wanted you to pick up some milk on the way home.

“Why don't you get a basket while you're here?”

You rolled your eyes, you would but you'd already had one at home.

You both got into the aisle to see Rory Gilmore kissing her boyfriend, your friend Dean. You had nothing against Rory, she'd been nice to you when you crossed paths at school, now she went to a private institution and you hadn't really run into each other since. Jess looked unamused until Rory pointed him out.

He teased them a bit but then grabbed his glue, you broke off to grab your things feeling a little dejected, you knew he had a crush on her but you didn't like to watch him make a fool of himself over her.

 

You were both walking over to your house after Jess dropped the glue off at Luke’s, he was going on about Dean, making fun of his work uniform, you knew him well enough to know this was jealousy.

“It's so easy to push his buttons y'know?”

“Yeah, you constantly do it.”

He looked at you confused, you weren't smiling or joking with him

“What, you like him or something?”

You scoffed

“No, I just think you that you pick on him for basically nothing.”

Dean was a good friend, he lived on your street and you'd gotten to know each other pretty well over the summer as your parents had wasted no time becoming friends, he didn't speak much but you kinda liked that, he seemed to read you pretty well and you really appreciated that, he used to make assumptions but it seemed like he got you now. You considered him worth defending, but Jess already had the idea in his head so he wasn't likely to drop it.

“Suuure.”

Great, now you'd have to hear about this all afternoon

 

You were mixing potato salad, your sister was baking a strawberry pie for her boyfriend Jared,Jess sat bored at your kitchen island

“I thought you said you weren't going to put anything good in your basket?”

“My mom got excited and i didn't want to let her know about my plans, this is decoy food.”

Your sister gave you a knowing look, you shot daggers at her, trying to scare her but also beg for her silence

“I mean we could just pack it with junk food and drive the back streets for a while and eat.”

“You'd have to bid on my basket then.”

He put his chin in his hand a gave you a sarcastic look

“Oh however will I bring up the funds to bid on your 3 dollars at best basket.”

You glowered at him

“I'll have you know plenty of people would like to bid on my basket.”

“Craig from math doesn't count.”

“He's getting the neck brace off in two weeks, who knows.”

He expressed faux shock

“Why don't we just ditch the bidding and take the basket anyway?”

“Sounds like a plan if my mom wasn't so invested in this I could sneak off.”

He groaned and you laughed

“Fine, i'll bid, but then we get to go wherever I want.”

You shook your head and giggled, he acted as if you didn't follow him wherever he wanted everyday

“Deal, have cash on you tomorrow.”

You internally cheered at your victory, already mentally planning the perfect outfit for tomorrow.

 

You clean up but not too much, just dressed in nice dark jeans and a black shirt you knew you filled out nicely, a necklace he'd swiped for you for good measure. You stood giddy in the crowd, snuggled in your green coat as a breeze blew in, wasn't too cold yet, you didn't see Jess yet but you knew he'd be here, he rarely ditched you.

“Hey (Y/n).”

Your turned to see baby blues looking back at you, Rory Gilmore was honestly a classic beauty now that she was so close, Dean stood tall next to her, sending a smile your way.

He cocked a brow at you, knowing you as well as he did you already knew what he was thinking

“Thought this wasn't your kind of scene (Y/n), isn't this too cliché for you?”

He smiled and you smirked at him, you knew he was teasing

“Sometimes I like to involve myself with clichés, let's me understand this thing your kind call the ‘human experience’.”

Rory giggled as she watched you two interact

“I've been missing your charm at Chilton.”

You were surprised when she said that, you never thought you'd really made a mark on Rory but maybe you were a little memorable

“Well the public school system misses its personal living encyclopedia Gilmore.”

You both shared a look, maybe you would've been closer if it hadn't taken you so long to really meet freshman year, you two really were similar when you looked at it.

Rory and Dean broke off to go talk to Lane, you waved and rubbed your hands together, the felt a little chapped, where the hell was Jess? The bidding was about to start.

 

Basket after basket came up, a small one was coming up for bid and Jess was still MIA, you felt let down, you'd dressed kinda nice for this even made food and now you were just stuck out in the chilly air, disappointed.

“Can we get 5$? 5$.”

“10$!”

You heard Jess, he was standing more towards the front, and bidding on the wrong basket. He knew that one wasn't your you'd put a little marker for him to recognize. You saw Dean bidding too and it suddenly connected, Jess was bidding on Rory's basket to tick off Dean.

And to get a lunch with Rory Gilmore.

It hurt, of course he liked her, she was everything he'd want, well read and effortlessly gorgeous, fuck you wanted to cry. You refused to spill tears, rather you simmered angrily as Jess outbid Dean.

You watched them fight, Dean storming off, your eyes met and he looked back at Jess who had only just seen you, he stared down Dean and he turned back to you.

You were full of anger and sadness, Dean obviously in a similar mood, he wrapped his arm around your shoulder pulling you close as the next basket came up.

“That one yours?”

You looked to the side seeing Jess staring at you, you couldn't place his expression but you glared back at him as you confirmed with Dean that was your basket, and he bid on it, winning with no counter bid, Jess had no more money to give. Like he would anyway.

 

Dean collected your Basket and Jess stalked off with Rory in tow, you took Dean out to your truck and you both got in, before he could say a word your angered expression broke, you couldn't stop the broken sob that left your mouth, Dean was surprised, never seeing you cry before, he felt his chest ache at the site of someone he considered a friend in pain.

Dean was a big guy so he was good with comfort, he wrapped his arms around you, he felt like a big teddy bear as you pressed your face into his chest.

“He said he'd bid on my basket, I can't believe I got my hopes up..”

“I knew it had to involve him when I saw you out here, you hate this kind of stuff.”

“I don't always, I thought it'd be r-romant-ic, I even made real food Dean, I baked him a fucking pie.”

“Wait a pie?- I mean, (Y/n) he's a dickhead, I don't get why you waste your time on him.”

You sniffled, thinking you'd stop crying, but the tears came back twice as hard when you thought about it again

“I thought he liked me, I tho-thought he was showing me a side of himself nobody else saw! But I can't measure up to Rory, she's beautiful -and smart, she's even got perfectly cute quirks, flawless! Fucking flawless! And my idea of dressing up was putting on a nice t-shirt! I'm so stupid thinking he'd ever be interested-”

“(Y/n).”

You paused your choked babbling, sniffing as Dean looked down at you.

“(Y/n) I love Rory and I'm upset she's eating lunch with Jess of all people, Rory is beautiful and smart but so are you, in your own special kind of way.”

You rubbed your eyes

“I just wanted to feel like it Dean, he really got me going, we were going to take a drive and eat this lunch I made and I was so excited even if it did seem like some silly romcom trope..”

“Well screw Jess! He messed up me and Rory's date and made you cry, that's enough evidence for me, he's a grade A jerk and I've known since day one, he's lucky, the only reason I haven't clocked him is because Rory asked me nicely not to.”

You snorted

“You mean she kissed you and told you not to.”

You pulled away, throwing your hands loosely on the steering wheel, Dean looked at you as you sniffed and wiped your eyes with your thumb

“You tell anyone I was crying over a guy I'll strangle you in your sleep.”

He laughed loudly holding his hands up in defense

“Hey!, My lips are sealed don't worry.”

You sniffed and smiled, you were still upset but at least you weren't alone

“Alright, anywhere you want to go?”

He looked at you, his warm brown eyes wandering over your saddened face as he thought

“How about we take that drive you planned, take me wherever you want and we'll eat this lunch, I'm looking forward to the pie.”

You started up your truck

“It's Blueberry, wasn't sure if he had a favorite but he didn't seem to hate it when I saw him eat it.”

“Well it's one of my favorites so I will be helping myself to his spoils thank you very much.”

You laughed as you pulled out, Jess had ruined both of your days, but that didn't mean you couldn't try to enjoy it.

 

You were home, Dean and you had cranked up music in your truck and sang along like idiots as you took back roads till you decided to stop near a lake, it was bigger than the one near the bridge, probably the one near the edge of the next county that connected to your exit. You skipped rocks and ate and then you came home, sad feelings creeping up on you again. You squashed them down and replaced them with and resigned yourself to only feel irritation and numbness towards Jess Mariano. He was the guy of your dreams, those dark luscious locks and black eyes, his whole attitude, but it was all a mirage, you saw who he really was today.

He was a jerk and you weren't going to be his little sidekick anymore.

 

You laid lazily in your bed as your box tv blared some cooking show at you, you liked watching things get made, it was calming, but you heard a familiar rapping on your window.

You wanted to ignore it, pretend to already be asleep, but you'd left your curtains slightly open out of habit so he could see you watching tv.

You reluctantly stomped over to your window, he stood shakily on the thick limb on the tree next to your window, you opened the window.

“Thanks, I hate standing up here so long but you didn't answer your phone earlier.”

“I was in the shower.”

“Your hairs dry though.” He tried to joke

You aren't supposed to wash your hair everyday you wanted to respond, but you felt yourself seething again, he didn't think you were cool right?

“Yea sorry about bailing on our randevú, but a rare opportunity for mischief came and I just couldn't pass it up.”

“You mean you couldn't pass up a date with Rory Gilmore that wasn't for you.”

“It wasn't a date.”

“Could've fooled me, you looked like a giddy little kid, so excited for her attention, did you enjoy her basket?”

He gave you a confused expression

“Why are you mad at Rory?”

You bit back at him

“I'm not mad at Rory I'm mad at you!”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise

“Me? What're you mad at me for! I set you up with Dean-o from the grocery store didn't I?”

You were so mad you could spit

“I don't like Dean! You convinced yourself I did so you could play this off as a favor to me rather than admit you like Rory and that's why you bid on her basket instead of mine!”

He held up his hands defensively, his confused tone now turning cross very quickly

“Well I'm so sorry I didn't bid on your basket, you said you were doing it for a joke I didn't think you'd care this much.”

It was true but the plan had changed and he knew that

“You made me make a day out of it! You told me to my face you were going to bid on my basket and we were going to spend the day together!”

“We spend everyday together!”

“Not like that! Not with a fancy lunch I'd made just for you.”

You felt tired as he stared you down

“What, like food would've made a difference? You always act like you're so above all this stupid small town tradition but you were so excited about this and you don't want to admit it, so now you're blaming me for wrecking your little fantasy of us munching on finger sandwiches and pie, not my thing.”

“Except when it's with Rory huh?”

“Why do you keep bringing her back up, I don't like her.”

“Whatever, I'm done, I don't know what I saw in you.”

“What?”

You started pushing him towards your window sill, he tried to hold on and not be pushed out and you were so close to doing so

“Get out and don't come back I don't want to see you.”

“What did you mean by you're done? With what? With me?”

“Get out Jess.”

He was out on the limb, his expression showed vulnerability and fear, but he masked it with frustration.

“(Y/n) Please-”

You shut the window and pulled your curtains closed

“(Y/n)!”

His voice muffled through the window, you turned your tv off and buried yourself under your covers, ignoring his incessant tapping until you fell asleep.

 

It'd been a few weeks since you'd spoken to Jess, you guessed he'd decided to avoid you as well because he made no attempt to make amends, people were taking notice, you two were always together, it hadn't been that long since Jess came here but as it was once said you just connected that fast it was just weird to see you apart.

A couple of your classmates you worked with to study even inquired about it

“Did you two break up?” Rachel from AP English inquired

“We weren't dating.”

“So like a friend break up?”

You didn't want to admit you were fully cut off from Jess, you still missed him, your desk felt so empty without him there after school scribbling short stories in his little notebook, bouncing ideas off you as you watched trash tv together.

“I guess you could call it that..”

You really just wanted him to apologize about ditching you without making it someone else, just him admitting he was wrong was enough and you'd be good.

You were sad he didn't like you but you didn't like him only romantically, he was a good friend either way.

 

Another week passed, still nothing from Jess, you were starting to feel like maybe you should apologize, of course he wasn't a mind reader but you'd thought maybe he'd seen how important that was to you, maybe he didn't know you as well as you thought he did. Your mom wanted to have lunch at Luke’s, you tried to get out of it saying you needed to get home and study but she insisted you needed to stay for some family time, you were always in your room she said, you groaned hoping Jess wouldn't be working on a Saturday.

Just your luck he was serving coffee as you walked in, hoping getting a table more near the shelves maybe you could fly under his radar.

Your mom ordered and you tried to hide behind a paperback, you cursed yourself realizing it was one of his, he'd probably already spotted you, you tried to relax knowing he wasn't likely to face you in front of your family.

“Here you go.”

He gave your family their plates, he placed yours down harder making you flinch

“Hey (Y/n), liking the book I lent you?”

You gulped and your mom looked at you all smiley

“Don't clam up honey you can talk to your friends, this one is so shy I tell you.”

Jess gave her a crooked smile as he looked back to you smugly, knowing he'd trapped you, now you'd have to interact

“Yeah not sure I like it as much as I thought I did.”

He frowned

“Well I could always lend you another, apartments upstairs, take just a minute if your family doesn't mind.”

You groaned

“Actually my mom wants to have some family time-”

“Oh (Y/n) it's alright, just go talk but don't be too long.”

She thought she was doing you a favor, you smiled and thanked her but screamed in your brain wishing that she'd tighten your leash just this once.

Jess ushered you upstairs, basically slamming the apartment door behind him.

You put his paperback on the table, you wanted to skate out of here as soon as possible but you couldn't leave right now or it would look suspicious. Jess closed in on you, trapping you between him and the table.

“I know why you're upset now.”

“Do tell.”

You refused to make eye contact

“Can you not blow me off right now because it's really starting to piss me off.”

“You're pissed off?”

“(Y/n) I'm trying to apologize here.”

“Sure doesn't feel like it.”

His eyebrows knit together, you knew you were being childish but it was true, you didn't think he actually knew why you were upset, he probably just didn't want to deal with you being mad anymore.

“Listen you can go if you want! You're not the first person to throw me away and you won't be the last, I'm trying to make amends here and youre being an asshole.”

“I'm being an asshole because you keep making this about you! Like I'm overreacting when you were the one who got my hopes up for no reason!”

He looked shocked as wet paths trailed down your cheeks, you felt embarrassed, but he gripped his hair in frustration

“I didn't mean to!”

His eyes looked glassy and you sniffled

“I didn't fucking mean to and I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I ditched you for Rory because yeah I did like her, I wanted to eat lunch with her like a date and I was being selfish because I'd told you I'd bid on yours.”

You wiped your eyes and he came closer, gently holding your shoulders

“I don't know what you see in me because I'm not always a good friend but (Y/n) I'm really sorry.”

You hugged him

“It's okay..I'm sorry we didn't talk about it for so long, I was just really upset because..”

“I know I wasted your time.”

“No Jess I really like you and that's why I was upset that you stood me up for Rory, I thought you knew my intentions but I guess I wasn't super clear about it.”

“Wait what?”

You rubbed your eyes laughing because your felt really awkward but you wanted to get it off your chest

“I have like a huge crush on you and that's why I made the stupid basket, I wanted you to bid on it because I'm a mushy romantic sometimes, but I get it you like Rory and I'll root for you even though she's dating Dean, I'm cool with being just friends.”

“(Y/n) I don't want to be just friends.”

Now it was your turn to be confused

“Wha??”

He picked at the hem of one of his rolled sleeves

“I did like Rory, but after you seeing you go off with Dean, he knew how I felt about you then and there even before I did, I didn't get why I was so upset at the thought of him eating with you and talking when it should've been me, I guess it was a taste of my medicine..”

You were shocked at his confession

“Then when you started avoiding me it felt like you were everywhere, the little doodles you'd left in my notebooks, your favorite song being on Luke's radio alarm clock almost everyday for a week, I couldn't even eat pretzels from the vending machine without thinking about something you'd said about them, it was ridiculous.”

You laughed and his hands moved to your waist

“I just kinda realized yeah Rory and me like music and books, she's a cool friend, but you kind of consumed my life, found a place in my heart even when I wasn't looking for it all that time ago..I didn't want to be without you because I feel a strong connection with you, I like you, and when you walked in today I knew I had to talk to you before I lost you for good.”

You gave him a wry smile, looking up into his dark eyes, feeling like a tease

“I mean it's pretty hard to lose me in a town such a small population-”

“(Y/n).”

“Just saying, with our strong connection and all-”

“Shut up and kiss me before I change my mind.”

That did shut you up, you blushed brightly unsure what to do as you slowly tilt your head up to meet your lips with his. His lips were chapped, but you didn't mind, you were just glad to kiss him.

He started giving you smaller kisses before going back in for a long one, you giggled between them as he sat you up on the tabletop, forgetting about the diner and your parents.

“Jess! The diners packed get down here and take some orders!”

Jess groaned but pulled away from you as Luke yelled up the stairs

“So I'm guessing this means I'm forgiven right?”

You stared him down as if to say ‘seriously’

“Yes your dork, now give me a book to swap out this one before my mom get the wrong idea.”

“Like what, that we were making out on my uncles table?”

“Jess!”

He snickered and reached into his back pocket tossing you a small grey paperback

“Try a little Hemingway.”

“A little heming coming my way?”

“I'll take it back now.”

You laughed and shoved it in your coat pocket

“Why don't you go do your job.”

“And why don't you get out of my house.”

You smiled and you both started heading down the stairs.

He stopped you before you entered the diner, he kissed you one last time.

“Sneak out tonight and come meet so we can catch up.”

You looked up at him as he cupped your cheek

“Does this mean you're my boyfriend or something now?”

He smiled

“Only if that's means you're my-”

“Jess get out here!”

You patted his cheek

“I'll meet you later tonight, see ya Jess.”

He sighed and headed out into the packed diner and you sat back down with your family to finish your cold burger. Usually you'd be upset about cold food but you were on top of the world, not only had Jess apologized but he liked you back.

You looked at him as he spoke to people at the counter, he caught your gaze and smiled at you as he continued to speak.

You and Jess were fast friends, you always got along, but it took just one fight to change your bond forever.

You knew not much would change, Jess had you wrapped around his finger since day one.

As you watched him work your realized you really would follow him anywhere.

You couldn't wait to see him tonight.

 

______

END.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yea it's probably not super show accurate but at least it's long lol, never thought I'd contribute to the Gilmore girls fandom but here we are


End file.
